Spontaneous-Curvature Theory of Clathrin-Coated Membranes

Clathrin-coated membranes are precursors to coated vesicles in the receptor-mediated endocytic pathway. In this paper we present a physical model for the first steps of the transformation of a clathrin-coated membrane into a coated vesicle. The theory is based on in vitro cytoplasmic acidification e...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biophysical journal 1998-06, Vol.74 (6), p.2862-2875
Main Authors: Mashl, Robert J., Bruinsma, Robijn F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Clathrin - physiology
Clathrin - ultrastructure
Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane - physiology
Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane - ultrastructure
Cytoplasm - physiology
Elasticity
Endocytosis
Kinetics
Lipid Bilayers
Membranes, Artificial
Microscopy, Electron
Models, Biological
Models, Theoretical
Thermodynamics
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Summary:Clathrin-coated membranes are precursors to coated vesicles in the receptor-mediated endocytic pathway. In this paper we present a physical model for the first steps of the transformation of a clathrin-coated membrane into a coated vesicle. The theory is based on in vitro cytoplasmic acidification experiments of Heuser ( J. Cell Biol. 108:401–411) that suggest the transformation proceeds by changes in the chemical environment of the clathrin lattice, wherein the chemical environment determines the amount of intrinsic, or spontaneous, curvature of the network. We show that a necessary step of the transformation, formation of free pentagons in the clathin network, can proceed via dislocation unbinding, driven by changes in the spontaneous curvature. Dislocation unbinding is shown to favor formation of coated vesicles that are quite small compared to those predicted by the current continuum theories, which do not include the topology of the clathrin lattice.
ISSN:0006-3495
1542-0086
DOI:10.1016/S0006-3495(98)77993-7